A Light At the End
by Writer'sInsanity
Summary: Slightly AU, Bruce and Tim have no choice but to hold on to each other like lifelines as they try to forget and hope everything will be fine.


**Just listened to My Immortal and it kept nagging me to make a song-fic.  
**

**Some of the info for Dick and Jason may not be completely accurate.  
**

**I don't own anything.**

* * *

_I'm so tired of being here_  
_ Suppressed by all my childish fears_  
_ And if you have to leave_  
_ I wish that you would just leave_  
_ 'Cause your presence still lingers here_  
_ And it won't leave me alone_

Bruce was locked up in his study. Again. Why he was almost never around as Bruce Wayne, Tim had no idea. Tim kept trying to distract himself with hacking the Pentagon or somewhere like that, a challenge. Eventually, though, the curiosity caught up to him. Especially when he peeked into the study once and saw Bruce looking at a picture, with a look on his face that screamed tears were about to spill over. It was Bruce's secret, he knew. But you would probably snoop around too, not knowing anything about the forbidden topic of Dick or Jason, his predecessors in the position of Bruce's ward and son, and Robin. He could hear the lingering voices of the two unknown owners of those names in his head.

He kept Tim close, more protective than anyone else was before him, because he had learned his lesson. He wasn't going to let another die, to let the Robin mantle become a curse. No, he was going to make sure it would never happen again. Dick's voice scolds him for neglecting Tim, while Jason's tries to order him to get up and get out already. They all knew that the fearless Batman was scared. For once in his life, the great Bat felt vulnerable and wanted to forget. Forget his parents, forget Dick, forget Jason, forget all the memories with them. But Tim...Tim still needed him, and Bruce wasn't going down anytime soon.

_ These wounds won't seem to heal_  
_ This pain is just too real_  
_ There's just too much that time cannot erase_

Tim had never faced Joker in his life, not as Timothy Drake, adopted son of Bruce Wayne, or Robin, the Boy Wonder and protege of Batman. Again, it was both Bruce and Batman that made sure of that. And now, Tim realized why. Anything on a computer couldn't be hidden by a master hacker, no matter how much you wanted to keep it a secret.

Richard "Dick" Grayson: the first Robin, the last Flying Grayson. Status: Deceased. Joker was at fault for that. Dick had been working for a good five years, but his career was brought to an abrupt halt. The Dynamic Duo was fighting on a rooftop, Batman against Joker, Robin against the others. Joker whipped out a gun, no surprise there, but when he turned around one-eighty degrees and fired at the Boy Wonder, they were both caught off-guard. The bullet buried itself into his shoulder, which normally wouldn't have been fatal. However, he was at the edge and the pain and shock caused him to take a step back... lose his footing... and plummet towards the ground with an audience watching from below in horror and Batman from above trying to reach out to him. Unfortunately there were no balconies, no ledges, nothing he could use to prevent or at least slow his fall. Dick Grayson went the same way his parents did.

Jason Todd: the second Robin, grew up on the streets after his mother died. Status: Deceased. Joker was to blame for that too. Jason was Robin for about two to three years. Batman was worried about Jason's behavior, therefore suspending him from active duty for a while. At around the same time period, Jason found that Catherine wasn't his real biological mother, instead Sheila Haywood filled that position, and tracked her down. The last time he wore the costume was when he took off his mask for his mother, with Joker just around the corner. Jason was met with a crowbar and beaten before left in the building with a ticking bomb. Tim knew he could've escaped, but he still tried to save his mother, and tried to untie her, when time ran out. Jason Todd went with a bang.

Bruce couldn't forget or leave behind either memory, bringing Tim down with him.

_ When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears_  
_ When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears_  
_ And I held your hand through all of these years_  
_ But you still have_  
_ All of me_

**_"Bruce?" an eight-year-old child looked up at his guardian.  
_**

**_Bruce groggily opened one eye and looked into the scared cerulean pools. "Another nightmare?" Dick nodded, and climbed into bed, trying to get as close to Bruce as possible. The older man chuckled, used to the cuddling from the younger, and looked down at him. "Your parents?" Another nod was the reply, along with the boy trying to bury his head even more into Bruce's chest.  
_**

_**The temperature seemed to drop a couple of degrees, so covers were pulled higher and more cuddling ensued, much to Dick's delight.**  
_

_ You used to captivate me_  
_ By your resonating light_  
_ Now I'm bound by the life you left behind_

Bruce could see that the secret was out. The guilt and sadness in Tim's eyes said it all. Plus the weight in Tim's attitude. Tim may still not be as cheerful as Dick was, but he wasn't as cold as Jason would act sometimes. The last thing he wanted was Tim to die, but next to that was Tim to be cold to him. Right now, the boy was all he had, other than Alfred. His head slammed down on the desk again, his once tidy study now cluttered. _All _of his boys were a light in the seemingly everlasting tunnel, a source of hope that Bruce could hold on to that told him that there was an end to the pain and the suffering, not just for him but for everyone else, whether they deserved it or not.

_Your face it haunts_  
_ My once pleasant dreams_  
_ Your voice it chased away_  
_ All the sanity in me_

He laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to get a wink of sleep. All traces of drowsiness danced away from his fingers as he reached for them once his head hit the pillow. A pair of sapphire blue eyes and another of teal were imprinted on his mind, blocking all thought process. Groaning, he pushed a few stray strands of hair as his hands covered his face, partly in frustration. He could almost hear his adoptive father tossing and turning in the room over; Bruce never did like admitting when he had nightmares, but Tim could still hear the mumbling and the noise he would make. Frankly, it was sort of annoying, as it had been like this the whole week. Bags were visible under his eyes, and fatigue threatened to take over during his classes. The last thing Tim needed were for his grades to drop; Robin was being put off because he could never finish his homework quickly with all the things on his mind.

_ These wounds won't seem to heal_  
_ This pain is just too real_  
_ There's just too much that time cannot erase_

It was the first time that day Bruce and Tim saw each other, and they both needed someone to lean on. The pressure was getting to Tim, the guilt and memories catching up to Bruce. The odds of being crushed by the burden they both carried on their shoulders were growing greater by the minute. For once, Bruce allowed himself to be hugged, and felt the familiar feeling of having a head buried into his chest. It was an opportunity to just let it all out. There was no physical pain, wounds, or gaping holes in their body where blood would rush out, but in their minds, they were beaten and bloodied, and that was enough to make it feel real, like it was actually physical pain.

_ When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears_  
_ When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears_  
_ And I held your hand through all of these years_  
_ But you still have_  
_ All of me_

**Jason sniffed again. Bruce turned and sent a look at him, immediately starting protesting and denial. "I swear, I'm not sick!" Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. They were all different in many ways, but the one thing they all had in common: stubbornness.  
**

**"I wasn't about to say that you were sick; I was going to ask if you wanted to watch a movie, but if you really don't want to-" Jason was already settled on the couch, one hand on the remote and the other digging into the bowl of popcorn Alfred had already prepared in advance.  
**

**"Just as long as it isn't Zorro," he said with a hint of exasperation.  
**

**"Wasn't planning on it," Bruce held up Jason's favorite in his hand, and inserted it into the player.  
**

**Before the movie was over, though, Jason was already leaning on Bruce's shoulder fast asleep.  
**

_ I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone_  
_ But though you're still with me_  
_ I've been alone all along_

Tim was a little bit of Dick and a little bit of Jason and a little bit unique, it was easy for Bruce to slip up when calling him. A little bit carefree, a little bit serious, still had a child in him. Being Robin came with the voices that guided him along, Dick being comforting and helpful and Jason being persistent and pushing him on. As much as Bruce would stay silent, Tim was just good as the two before him, if not better. To Tim, being Robin was actually training to take Bruce's place as Batman when necessary, to be the World's Greatest Detective. Tim didn't see the name and the costume as a thrill, nor was it a game. Maybe he would end up successful in being the next Batman, because Bruce could see potential and it was likely that he could make a better Bat than he would ever be. The boy was impressive and maybe a week or two into taking up the mantle a large percentage of the rogues and villains saw how much of a threat the new Robin possessed.

_ When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears_  
_ When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears_  
_ And I held your hand through all of these years_  
_ But you still have_  
_ All of me_

It would take some time to get used to, they all knew deep within them. But nothing lasted forever, and eventually, Bruce and Tim would be inseparable. There was a unique bond and understanding between the two of them, and there was a brighter light at the end of the tunnel this time. Things weren't looking too bad after a while.


End file.
